Germany and Israel outraged by Nazi salute of Bolsonaro supporters

Germany, Israel and the Holocaust Museum, among others, issued communiqués expressing indignation and outrage at the Nazi salutes fired by supporters of Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during this Wednesday’s demonstrations, which called for military intervention to perpetuate the current situation. power and prevent the inauguration in January of President-elect Lula da Silva.

The gestures were deemed “shocking” and “crimes against democracy”.

In demonstrations this Wednesday, organized by Jair Bolsonaro’s radical followers near military installations in several Brazilian cities and hailed by the president as legitimate acts of popular discontent, demonstrators in some places displayed Nazi symbols or gave the infamous salute that Adolf Hitler loved. to greet.

In one case, which took place in the city of San Miguel do Oueste, in the state of Santa Catarina, where the majority of the inhabitants are of German origin, the gesture was filmed and the footage quickly spread around the world and caused outrage.

“We reject any form of reference to the Nazis in Brazil or in general. We are concerned about this phenomenon here (in Brazil) and hope that the competent authorities will take the necessary measures to put an end to this kind of outrageous activity.” – the embassy in Brazil said in a statement, showing its anger and indignation and hoping that the Brazilian authorities would do something.

The German Embassy in Brazil also took an outraged stance. Ambassador Heiko Thoms recalled that apologies for Nazism are an insult to democracy and a crime throughout Brazil.

“The use of Nazi and fascist symbols by apparently far-right “protesters” is deeply shocking. Apologizing for Nazism is a crime.

This is not about freedom of speech, but about an attack on democracy and the rule of law in Brazil,” Thoms wrote, also criticizing Jair Bolsonaro.

The president often says that the crimes committed by his followers are covered up by free speech, and in a video Wednesday asking truck drivers who have been blocking roads since Sunday to clear them, he praised other demonstrations outside the barracks. asking the Armed Forces to seize power, saying it’s part of the democracy game, though calling for an end to it.

In addition to the two diplomatic missions, Jewish groups and other organizations in Brazil and around the world issued communiqués rejecting the gesture of Bolsonaro’s followers.

The Holocaust Museum deplored the incident and stated that “the aesthetics and the social and historical context should be enough so that we don’t have to deal with such offensive scenes” while the Jewish Group for Democracy operates: “Bolsonarists if you are not Nazis , you fight alongside them.”